a few questions from a beginner

Hello all,

I'm a machinist who has been trying to teach myself some jewelry techniques
over the last several months, and have decided to finally ask all the
questions that have come up in my reading and experimentation.

First off, some background. I have been a machinist for the past 12 years,
and have made stainless steel body piercing jewelry off-and-on for the past
5 years. I feel that (like others have commented before on this n.g.) the
traditional styles of body jewelry that are available are pretty limiting,
and boring, thus, the leap into fine jewelry.

I have read as many books on the subject as I can get at the library and
used bookstore, and practicer a fair bit of sawing, filing, piercing,
soldering, patination, et cetera. I feel that now I have a fairly decent
grasp of the bare basics. Thus to my first question.

I know that the key to all this is practice practice practice, so I wonder
if anyone can reccomend a book, maybe like a textbook, or workbook, that has
a series of projects, exercises, or the like, that I can work through, thus
exposing me to a variety of common and uncommon situations? I have seen a
few student exercises here and there throughout "The Brepohl"- sawing and
forging IIRC. Also, I wonder which books you would consider indespensible to
you.

On to another question. Would it be feasable to make my own rolling mill? I
have access to all the tools required (except case-hardening the rolls,
which I would probably buy anyway), and it seems like it would be a great
project. Has anyone seen plans, or info on this? heard of anyone who's done
it?

A coworker threw away a spool of romex house wiring yesterday, which I saved
from the dumpster, took home and stripped. I figure the 12ga copper wire
will be useful for practice material. The ? here is, is the copper used in
this wire suitable for casting with? I'm sure its fine for forging and
bending, but in the books I have right now (complete metalsmith,
design&creation of jewelry by Von Neuman, & contemporary jewelry by Phillip
Morton) there is no mention of casting copper at all. Does copper oxidize
too much to cast?

Ive read everywhere not to put steel in your pickle, or you'll get copper
plating, but in a book I got the other day, It said stainless is safe. As I
have tons of it around (for the body jewelry) I wonder if this is true. I
guess I can just try it......

Sorry for the long-windedness :-)

Gene Lewis

P.S. I'd like to give a big thank you to the professionals who come here and
give us newbies the benefit of their knowledge all the time. I've learned a
lot just by lurking here. so cheers!

gene lewis wrote:


I know that the key to all this is practice practice practice, so I
wonder
if anyone can reccomend a book, maybe like a textbook, or workbook,
that has
a series of projects, exercises, or the like, that I can work
through, thus
exposing me to a variety of common and uncommon situations? I have
seen a
few student exercises here and there throughout "The Brepohl"- sawing
and
forging IIRC. Also, I wonder which books you would consider
indespensible to
you.

Hi,
You can find excellent free projects and great tips at the "Ganoksin
project":
http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
Here is another nice resource for free projects:
http://www.jewelry-tools.com/WJU/
And you'll find many more by searching the web for "free jewelry
projects"
Sarit.

Sarit Wolfus- Silver, Gold & Gemstones Handmade jewelry
http://sarit-jewelry.com

gene lewis wrote:
Hello all,

I'm a machinist who has been trying to teach myself some jewelry techniques
over the last several months, and have decided to finally ask all the
questions that have come up in my reading and experimentation.

First off, some background. I have been a machinist for the past 12 years,
and have made stainless steel body piercing jewelry off-and-on for the past
5 years. I feel that (like others have commented before on this n.g.) the
traditional styles of body jewelry that are available are pretty limiting,
and boring, thus, the leap into fine jewelry.

I have read as many books on the subject as I can get at the library and
used bookstore, and practicer a fair bit of sawing, filing, piercing,
soldering, patination, et cetera. I feel that now I have a fairly decent
grasp of the bare basics. Thus to my first question.

I know that the key to all this is practice practice practice, so I wonder
if anyone can reccomend a book, maybe like a textbook, or workbook, that has
a series of projects, exercises, or the like, that I can work through, thus
exposing me to a variety of common and uncommon situations? I have seen a
few student exercises here and there throughout "The Brepohl"- sawing and
forging IIRC. Also, I wonder which books you would consider indespensible to
you.

On to another question. Would it be feasable to make my own rolling mill? I
have access to all the tools required (except case-hardening the rolls,
which I would probably buy anyway), and it seems like it would be a great
project. Has anyone seen plans, or info on this? heard of anyone who's done
it?

A coworker threw away a spool of romex house wiring yesterday, which I saved
from the dumpster, took home and stripped. I figure the 12ga copper wire
will be useful for practice material. The ? here is, is the copper used in
this wire suitable for casting with? I'm sure its fine for forging and
bending, but in the books I have right now (complete metalsmith,
design&creation of jewelry by Von Neuman, & contemporary jewelry by Phillip
Morton) there is no mention of casting copper at all. Does copper oxidize
too much to cast?

Ive read everywhere not to put steel in your pickle, or you'll get copper
plating, but in a book I got the other day, It said stainless is safe. As I
have tons of it around (for the body jewelry) I wonder if this is true. I
guess I can just try it......

Sorry for the long-windedness :-)

Gene Lewis

P.S. I'd like to give a big thank you to the professionals who come here and
give us newbies the benefit of their knowledge all the time. I've learned a
lot just by lurking here. so cheers!



I cant help you with the work book
but will try with your other questions
IF youve plenty of time by all means go ahead and build youtr own
rolling mill. However Id scour ebay and all your local free adds papers
for any silversmith thats possibly retiring and where you can buy up all
his kit. this is what happends here in the UK where The tools and
equipment are always offered first to those working in the trade.
You will need a mill with at least 6in wide rolls by 3.5in dia with half
flat section and half with "V" grooves top and bottom rolls. this will
give you square section material from round. from 1/2in section down to
1/16in. Also you will need it geared down with atleast 15 to 1
reduction. from the handle to the rolls. Also the frame will need to be
of steel, cast iron is weak in tension. youll break the frame rolling
1/4in plate.
As for the copper, Ive no experience with casting it, only silver.
Which is well worth the time and effort invested in setting up your
casting work area.
I prefer the much more direct way of fabricating and forging silver.
Its so soft relatively, you can move it almost anyway you want
especially if its thick sectioned. For example, take some fully annealed
3/8thin dia rod say 5 in long, with a clean and polished anvil likewise
a hammer with a slighly convex head draw out the silver to a taper each
end till its about 6.75in long. Clean up and then anneal once more.
(preferably under flux to avoid fire stain.)
The best shaped hammer for silver forging is whats called here a "Double
headed riveter" actually used in the boot trade. Dixons of Sheffield
still make them, tho the ones to search for are the pre 1900 ones.
Hammers are another story alltogether.

then forge each end into a "C" shape around an anvil bick first then
place the metal like a "C" on your anvil and forge it down into a
perfect oval. youll need a gap of about 1.5in between the ends so it
will slip onto your wrist. this is the first step in forging that will
get you started. If youve no silver this section get some copper rod and
use that. Once your proficient, it shouldnt take more than half an hour
from start to finish. say the silver cost you $20.00 youll have no
problem selling it retail for $80.00.
Polish up well and display nicely, put yyour makers mark the 925 mark
and a date stamp like 2005. youll soon be making it pay its way.
youll never grow rich working with your hands but hey! what a lot of
satisfaction in what you do.

Once youve got the hang of this task experiment with different sections
like 1/4in square bar twisted up in a length say 30 ins. Cut to
length and forge as above.
Its all good practice in silversmithing. Dont be afraid to hit it.!!
do let us know how you get on. also photos if possible.